Subject: bug#56197: [PATCH v3] lisp: Introduce a `lisp-fill-paragraph-as-displayed' variable.

From: Felix Lechner <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2025 07:33:06 -0800

Hi Eli,

On Mon, Feb 03 2025, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> "As" and "like" are synonyms in this case.

They are not the same.  One is a preposition, and the other is a
conjunction. [1][2]

[1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/as-or-like
[2] https://www.grammarly.com/blog/commonly-confused-words/like-vs-as/

> And using "string" twice in the name sounds like unnecessary tautology

A tautotology means something that's always true.  It's a term from
formal logic.  Did you mean a pleonasm instead? [3] People often use
both words interchangably, but a pleonasm is the right way to describe
logically redundant language.

My suggestion isn't redundant because docstrings are more specific than
strings.  For example, there is no redundancy in the statement "the boat
looked like a sailboat."  Therefore it is also not redundant to "format
a string like a docstring".

The logical principle of the general vs. the specific has been around
for 1,800 years: The Beraita of Rabbi Yishmael says in verse 4 (with my
elaboration): "When a general rule is followed by an explicit
particular, the rule is limited to the explicit particular."  [4][5]

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleonasm
[4] https://www.sefaria.org/Sifra%2C_Baraita_DeRabbi_Yishmael?lang=bi
[5] https://outorah.org/p/6480

> "Paragraphs" is better, because we do really fill paragraphs, not
> strings.

Are we?  I think we are formatting strings.

> We are splitting hair, IMO.

A love of language helps people communicate.  For example, I talk to my
neighbor in English, and not in Python (even though I think he is a
programmer).  I think you chose 'as' simply because it is shorter.

Of course, you are entitled to your choices.

Also, aren't you and I picky the same way?  As Maxim noted, you disagree
with my preference for "in" but unlike me, you signalled agreement where
there was none.  You wrote that you changed the name but withheld the
details.  I had to go look.

Ultimately, you can do whatever you like.  I am truly grateful for
Emacs.  Thank you for maintaining it!

Kind regards
Felix